The City Art Square is situated at the Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza, and was built with the aim of promoting art and culture in Hong Kong, improving its public image and to promote the Beijing Olympics. Spanning an area of about 190,000 square feet, the square is located adjacent to a shopping mall and the Olympic Village constructed for the 2008 Olympics. The square features original and unique art installations and sculptures created by 19 prominent local and foreign artists.
Many of the exhibits are abstract, like the ‘Slice Chair’ designed by Mathias Bengtsson of Denmark. The design bears a resemblance to a topographical map of a rock landscape, roughly shaped into a chair. ‘City Landscape’, by local born artist Danny Lee, is another abstract sculpture, consisting of a twisted metal shape surrounded by greenery. Undoubtedly one of the most outlandish exhibits at the square is the ‘Night Watch’ designed by Wolfgang Kaeppner and Julie Mathias. The duo painted eyeballs of various animals on the inside of crystal balls, and scattered them across two outdoor pools. The crystal balls are illuminated further adding to their outlandish appearance.
Of course not all the installations are abstract. The ‘Peony Blossom’ created by American artist Vivienne Tan, is a pathway made of different coloured stones to form a mosaic of peonies. The ‘Miracle Horse’, by artist Freeman Lau, is a fantastical depiction of a blue horse, covered in white patterns. ‘Zenith’, by Italian artist Paolo Uccello, is another sculpture involving a horse.
Although Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China it operates almost like a separate country, having its own currency and enjoying a more western way of life. The city is notorious for its traffic jams which can be easily avoided by using the train. Staying at a Hong Kong Island Hotel which is located close to an MTR Station will undoubtedly help tourists get around the congested city. The Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong is situated midway between the financial district of Wan Chai and the leisure and shopping centres of Causeway Bay. It is also not far from the MTR Causeway Bay, making the Hong Kong Hotel an ideal choice for travellers who plan on doing a lot of sightseeing.
